Flame azalea in bloom |Spotswood Greenery

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Flame Azalea

American Beauties Native Plants®

Rhododendron calendulaceum

Also known as Azalea calendulaceum

size #3 Pot

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North American Native

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Pairs well with

Fiery orange to red flowers open in late spring on a native azalea that gets genuinely large, 4 to 8 feet tall and spreading 8 to 10 feet. Rhododendron calendulaceum grows in part shade, hardy from Zone 5 through Zone 9.

The flowers have no scent, which is unusual among the native deciduous azaleas, but the color is the strongest orange available in a hardy shrub and it reads from a long way off.

Hummingbirds come to the flowers, along with bees and butterflies.

Flame azalea grows wild on open woodland slopes and mountain balds in the Appalachians, so it needs well-drained acidic soil rather than the wet ground the swamp azaleas take. Morning sun with afternoon shade suits it. It spreads wider than tall with age, so give it horizontal room.

Size at Maturity

Height 4'- 8' Spread 8'- 10'

Growing Zone

USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9

Lowest Temperatures -20°F to -10°F

Light Requirements

Part shade - 4 to 6 hours of direct sun per day, mostly before midday

Wildlife Benefits

Supports Bees
Attracts Hummingbirds
Attracts Butterflies

Native Range

AL, CT, GA, KY, MD, MS, NC, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, WV

Seasons of Interest

Spring

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Easy to find what I was looking

Easy to find what I was looking for

Thank you so

Thank you so much!

Found exactly what I was looking

Found exactly what I was looking for

I ordered 2 native plants both arrived on time and with one exception- not under control of

I ordered 2 native plants both arrived on time and with one exception- not under control of vendor- as expected- I’ll check how to deal with this one plant abs and hope it’s resolved and resilient- decent value otherwise and keep it native. -
W R Leigh in NC

Great

Great service

So far

So far, healthy plant.

Received two ornamental flowering almonds

Received two ornamental flowering almonds. They were bigger than expected beautiful lush green and I was totally impressed. I wanted to get a heads up with planting them this August and get them growing so I could enjoy them in the spring. Thank you so much. Absolutely stunning.

I am so happy I found this shop!

I am so happy I found this shop! Every step of the buying experience has been smooth from the very first order. I am a repeat customer and will definitely continue to support this business!

I've received four roses from Spotswood Greenery and each won has been a big

I've received four roses from Spotswood Greenery and each won has been a big, healthy, beautiful plant. Shipping is super quick and prices are reasonable. I'm super satisfied and will be ordering many more!

Exceptional Roses

EXCEPTIONAL ROSES!

Recently, I received a #3 pot Wollerton Old Hall Rose, a #3 Alnwick Rose, and a #2 pot Sweet Mademoiselle rose from Spotswood Greenery. I could not be more pleased and grateful. All plants are in perfect condition. Each is supported by incredibly healthy roots, several Charles Atlas-like stems, and beautiful foliage. Packaging was very secure. Clearly done with care! Shipping was quite prompt. Now, pricing! I've grown roses for 40 of my 67 years. In that time, it's easy for me to say that Spotswood has exceeded every other source without question. I found three roses in stock I had wanted! The quality is champion! The prices are very good, excellent when one buys at the free shipping level! Worth every penny! Thank you, every one, on the Spotswood Greenery Team!
Brian Lowry
Scottsburg, Indiana

Great selection

Great selection, good prices and fast servuce

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Great!

nice to talk to a person who answers the phone

nice to talk to a person who answers the phone and cares and is american

I just received my hypericum red fame and was

I just received my hypericum red fame and was amazed how big it was and just as pretty as my established one I have had a couple years. So happy because the last one I ordered online from another nursery came as a little stub compared to this! I will definitely use Spotswood Greenery for now on!

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Wonderful

Quick shipping

Bought a David Austin rose; it arrived quickly however it had some damage upon arrival. Ended up pruning and defoliating a good bit to get rid of the broken cane and pest damage, but I expect it to be a beautiful bush down the road.

Lovely plants

Lovely plants, get with your shipper.

Comfortable ordering process

The information and accuracy of the description of the ordered plants was great. The ability to search for specific plants was nice. Could search for terms not pre-defined and still came up with relevant specimens.

The online ordering process went smoothly.

Wonderful nursery will buy from

Wonderful nursery will buy from again!!!

I ordered ~8 David Austin roses from here

I ordered ~8 David Austin roses from here. They were equal in quality to the ones at my local nurseries (better than some), and $10 cheaper. Established roots, full of buds that have become gorgeous blooms. Will absolutely order from Spotswood again!

Fast shipping and great

Fast shipping and great, full plants. I prefer shipping here vs David Austin directly because of how big and healthy roses arrive.

Beautiful shrub I’ve been looking for and found

Beautiful shrub I’ve been looking for and found it here very pleased

Superb source for DA roses

Superb source for DA roses. Very full and healthy plants. Very secure shipping. Most highly recommended!

Lovely

Lovely choices!

Speedy detailed and efficient

Speedy detailed and efficient.

I would love to share my experience

I would love to share my experience. My Eden’s were packed so carefully and arrived in perfect condition.Shipped quickly and are just beautiful.

This rose bush is beautiful full of blooms this is the first time I received anything like it

This rose bush is beautiful full of blooms this is the first time I received anything like it, I will definitely buy fro this nursery again ☺️

Perfectly packaged roses for shipping

Perfectly packaged roses for shipping. Arrived healthy & thriving even after a 2 day weather delay!Extremely happy with my purchase from Spotswood💜

Planting and Care Guide

Planting Tips

Plant in moist, well-drained, acidic soil (pH 4.5–6.0) with generous organic matter. Space 6–10 feet apart. Water thoroughly after planting and mulch 2–3 inches deep, keeping mulch away from the crown.

Care Tips

Plant in full sun to part shade. More sun gives more flowers, and afternoon shade helps in hot summers.
Acidic soil is a must, ideally pH 4.5 to 6.0. Test before planting. In neutral or alkaline soil the leaves yellow between the veins and the plant slowly declines.
Plant in moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Swamp azaleas also handle wet ground.
Set the top of the root ball slightly above the surrounding soil, never deeper.
Water deeply through the first two summers and in dry spells after that.
Mulch 2 to 3 inches deep with pine bark or shredded leaves, keeping it back from the stems.
Feed lightly in spring with a fertilizer for acid-loving plants, if at all.
Prune right after flowering. Next year's flower buds form in summer, so later pruning removes them.
Leaves drop in fall, often after turning color, and the shrub is leafless through winter.
Powdery mildew can show up in late summer, especially in shade. It is mostly cosmetic.
Deer browse the flower buds in winter; protect plants where deer are a problem.